The Missing Prince
by Hollie Daye
Summary: A new Tuxedo Mask appears in town a week before Usagi and Mamoru's wedding. Mamoru must fight for his future and face his past...alone.
1. Prologue

Intro for The Missing Prince

Greetings everyone!

I began writing this story before my other SM fic, Light of Love. If you are a fan of LOL, don't worry about this story overshadowing it. I intend to finish LOL. Hopefully, very soon.

I had forgotten all about this little ditty, but I recently rediscovered it when cleaning up some files. After much hemming and hawing, I've decided to post it. The story was written in a stream-of-consciousness fashion, which means, although much of it is already written, I need to perform a LOT of revision work on it before it sees the light of day.

This tale, unlike my other SM fic, is set in the present day and future. For those familiar with my style of writing, I can sometimes be non-linear, and this is quite evident in the prologue. The prologue addresses things that will arise again much later in the story, but I wanted to include a little taste of what the future holds. I've titled each section to help with orienting the reader. I hope it helps. I'm not sure if I will keep these later on in the story, but if you like them, please let me know.

The title, like much about this tale, is a working title. I plan not to change it until the story is completed.

Without further ado…

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon. (does anyone else do these, or am I just practicing a lost art form of providing disclaimers with every chapter?)

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_Dreams in the Future_

"Small Lady!" a masculine voice echoed in her ears. It penetrated through the silence, as though its owner desperately wanted to reach her.

The girl abruptly sat up in her bed. Much like a runner sprinting in a race, her breaths were heavy and rapid as she gulped the air. Her eyelids fluttered. She glanced around the unlit room with her dark nutmeg-red eyes.

Her bedchamber, which was normally so familiar to her during the day, frightened her at night. Darkness engulfed everything around her, save for a slip of pale moonlight shining through the bedroom window. The glow of the moon cut through the thick molasses pitch of twilight. The sliver of light fell across the pink down comforter of the girl's bed. She glanced quickly around the room to the dresser and various tables that occupied the space. The dark gave way to shadows, which seemed to absorb into nothingness all around her. The vaulted ceiling of her room created a chasm of blackness, reminding her of a tomb. She cringed.

She settled her eyes on her surroundings. A small sigh escaped her lips and her breathing became even. She did not know the man who called to her in her dreams; however, she had heard his voice so often in her sleep that the tenor of it was as familiar to her as her own laugh. His voice both comforted and frightened her. The desperation screaming in his tones tore at her soul.

For the past few nights, the girl had experienced the strangest dreams. She would often awake as she had just now, the tension and fear racking her mind and stifling her lungs. Although she was often terrified in the dream, she did not consider these strange visions to be nightmares.

In them, a man desperately tried to reach her. She could see his figure running toward her. His arms were extended to touch her. Each time, the girl would turn her head toward the noise and see this figure running to her. She, too, would stretch her arms out and run toward him. Before she reached him, she would slip away from him and fall into darkness. Each time, the echoing cries of the man would envelope her ears as she fell deeper and deeper into a chasm of pitch black. She would scream, the man would cry for her one last time, and then she would wake up.

The girl bit her bottom lip and squeezed her eyes shut. She attempted to recall the images again. This dream had been different. This time, she had seen him. He had not just been a blur. This time, she had seen his face.

Her eyelids snapped open. Her gaze settled on the clock on her nightstand. She noted that it was only three o' clock. Everyone else in the palace was fast asleep. She yawned. Stretching her arms upward, she sighed again. Like everyone, she too, should be fast asleep. She glanced to the window. She gazed at the slight light shining through her curtains. She wondered if she would have the dream again.

The sound of a small bell interrupted the girls' thoughts. She jumped slightly.

"Usagi-chan?" a small petite voice called. The girl looked to the pillow beside her. Wide, gray eyes peered up at her through the darkness. The girl sighed and petted the cat. The feline blinked and moved to sit on the girl's lap. Its grey head fell into the slip of light, causing the crescent moon on its forehead to glow. The girl rubbed the top of the cat's head, tracing the crescent shape with her left index finger.

"It was nothing, Diana," the girl whispered, closing her eyes. She blinked them open again, and glanced up at the full moon.

She picked up the purring bundle of fur and crossed to the window. After pulling back the pale, filmy curtain, she allowed herself bask in the glow of moonlight. The evening sky was clear, and the pinholes of countless stars twinkled above. Her reddish brown eyes peered upward, focusing on the full moon. The round sphere in the sky hung like a small pearl in the cloudless sky above the horizon. She breathed deeply and placed her right hand on the cool glass window pane. The glow of the moon comforted her. She had always found solace in the moon. When standing in moonlight, the girl's apprehensions and worries seemed to wash away.

"Did you have another bad dream?" the cat asked, purring affectionately in her arms.

Usagi frowned.

"I don't think it was a bad dream," she muttered to her feline companion.

She mumbled quietly to herself about the dream, attempting to remember it. This one had been different than all of the others. Diana's collar jingled as the cat nuzzled the top of her grey head into the girl's left palm. Usagi sighed. Diana obviously wanted to know what had awakened her. She cleared her throat and quietly told her.

"I was walking among ruins of a beautiful city made of crystal, and a man was calling to me..."

"A man?" Diana squeaked. Usagi never talked about men. In their small, protected pocket of the world, she did not have many opportunities to encounter men. Of course, Usagi was turning sixteen in a few weeks, and so it was only natural the girl may think of men, the small cat silently reasoned.

"Not THAT type of a man, Diana!" Usagi snapped, rolling her nutmeg eyes. She leaned over and placed the cat gently onto the cold marble floor. She sighed again, looking back up to the moon. "I think he was an older man. Like Mama's age."

"Oh!" Diana muttered, "He was an older man." She tucked her pink nose into her paws in embarrassment. She should know better than to jump to conclusions. Usagi didn't know any men her own age, well, save for her cousin, but he was a year younger than the girl. He was not even old enough to be considered a man.

Usagi slowly plodded back to her disheveled bed. She pulled the covers back and crawled into the bed's pocket of warmth. Diana jumped on the soft mattress and settled on the top of the pink down comforter. She made a point of curling up in a ball less than an arm's length from her mistress. Usagi rested her head back down on her pillow. Long strands of pink hair pooled around her. She pulled her sheets and blankets up to her chin. Instead of reaching out to pet the expectant feline, she rolled over and looked out of the window. The curtains were still pulled back, but she could barely see the moon. Usagi closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. His image flashed in her head. She smiled.

"He wore a dark cape," Usagi began dreamily. She opened her eyes again to glance up at the moon.

"Like the King's?" Diana questioned. Usagi rolled her eyes.

"Better than the King's!" she declared, remembering how the dark fabric billowed brilliantly behind him, curling itself into the sunset. "He appeared to be a noble man, one of great wisdom and infinite strength. Tall with dark hair as dark as midnight, and the most amazing blue eyes..."

"Like the king's?" Diana asked again, causing her companion to hurl a small pillow at the feline. Diana squeaked and giggled. Usagi scrunched her nose and closed her eyes, reaching into her mind for the image from her dream.

"They were like the King's," Usagi whispered, squeezing her eyes tighter, "but they were more brilliant blue...and kind." Pausing for a moment, she added, "…and strong...compassionate."

Diana smiled. "He sounds like a nice man." she purred.

Usagi grinned and nodded. Small tears formed in her eyes. She took in a deep breath.

Why was she crying? It had only been a dream.

"He came toward me, and he said, 'Don't cry, Small Lady,'" she quietly said.

"Small Lady?" Diana pondered. "But you're not a small lady! You're even taller than your mother. You're almost taller than the king!"

"HE was taller than the king!" the girl proclaimed. She clasped her hands together and placed them underneath her head. "And he called me 'Small Lady' because I was smaller than he was."

"Well," Diana said with a "humph." She rested her own head onto her front paws before suggesting, "He should line you up with other girls of your age, and then he'll see that you aren't small!"

Usagi smiled. The man of her dreams, her knight, did not need to worry about placing her in a line-up. Just the thought of this man made her heart warm with delight. She remained awake for a long time, thinking about him. He seemed desperate to reach her. She thought about curling up in his warm, protective arms. Just the thought made her feel safe and loved. As she thought about the man, Chiba Usagi lulled back into a peaceful sleep, the name "Small Lady" leaving a faint smile on her delicate pink lips.

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_Hope for a Better Tomorrow_

A pair of women, very far from the scene taking place in the young girl's bedroom, stared into a delicately adorned hand mirror. Along the left side of the gilded looking glass was the figure of a woman. She also appeared to be spying into the mirror, thoughtfully eyeing the reflective image.

The woman with blue, curled hair tipped her head to the side and frowned. Her aqua eyes glistened as she blinked back unshed tears. Using the mirror, she and her companion witnessed the scene that had just transpired between the young maiden and her cat.

"Oh," she gasped, holding her free hand up to her pursed lips, "that is so sweet!"

"Bittersweet," the blonde muttered underneath her breath. She turned from the mirror and began to pace the small room. She wore a hooded tunic and dark brown denim riding pants. Her heavy, knee-high boots thumped loudly on the hollow, loose floorboards beneath her. She ran her hands nervously through her cropped hair.

She was accustomed to a battle that she could actually fight. Instead, she and her companion had been hiding in this small, dismal shack for—she cursed under her breath. She dreaded to think how long they had been in hiding. They had spent years in this hovel, peering into the mirror, unable to help the people they observed. Like a pair of criminals, she and her companion were confined to this dim hell. Of course, they practically _were _criminals. If they were spotted by anyone who had seen their images on the hundreds of _wanted_ posters splattered throughout Tokyo and across the world, their lives would most likely be terminated.

"This is good," the other woman said, placing the mirror on the only table in the room. She walked toward her partner, attempting to calm her. "This is a wonderful sign."

"How is this good?" the blonde demanded. Her temper was about to explode. She wanted to hurl herself out of their dark, confined room, burst into the night, and bump into someone not wise enough to stay away from her. She wanted to hit something—badly—to expel the anger and frustration that festered and rotted her soul.

"She saw him. If only in her dreams, it's something to look forward to," she was told.

"Humph!" she continued to pace, wringing her hands. "A little girl has a dream of her dead father, and you think it's a good thing? Call me a pessimist, but…"

"It _is_ a good thing, Haruka!" interrupted the other woman. "It means that he will come soon, and take his place beside his queen—_our_ queen."

Haruka stared into the eyes of her companion. The other girl gazed at her, her aqua blue eyes sparkling in the dark room. Haruka smiled halfheartedly.

"I trust you, Michiru," she finally told her. Michiru smiled back. "So he will return to the living," Haruka huffed, running her fingers through her hair again. It was a nervous habit she had always had, but over the past several years, it had become an annoying trait. She plopped her tall, thin form into a rickety wooden chair. It groaned under her weight.

"And we will be waiting for him," Michiru declared, sitting on Haruka's lap. The chair—their only chair—creaked and groaned again.

"Well," Haruka mumbled, wrapping her arms around her partner, "I hope that the King does not expect him."

Michiru frowned, nodding in contemplation. Haruka had a point. The King was not even a nice man to those he supposedly loved. She dreaded to think of what he would do to his sworn enemy and greatest rival. He would stop at nothing to prevent Mamoru from reclaiming the throne.

"The King must not know of his arrival," Michiru solemnly declared. "We will find him first."

"How?" Haruka pondered.

Even with Michiru's mirror, there was no way of knowing where he would be, much less when he arrived. If one of the King's minions saw him first, any hope they had of ever leaving this shack, of protecting their queen, and of guarding this planet would dissolve.

Michiru looked into Haruka's face and shrugged. Her aqua eyes flooded with tears. She buried her head into Haruka's shoulder and sobbed softly. Haruka held the woman tightly. She ran her hands over Michiru's wavy, aqua hair. Haruka stared up at the loose boards of the ceiling. Breathing deeply, the blonde closed her eyes and contemplated their circumstance.

Their situation seemed hopeless. Without the true king standing beside their queen, everything they had ever fought for had been for naught. The few who even remembered Chiba Mamoru had ever existed, much less that he had mysteriously disappeared, had assumed long ago that he had been killed. Even the King, who had spent years scouring the Earth for his nemesis, had finally begun to breathe a sigh of relief, as evident by his slackening military rule.

The two women hiding in this dark room had racked their brains for years, trying to discover what had happened to Mamoru or where he had gone. In the process, they had been cursed with the consequences of his dearly missed absence. Had he taken his rightful place as heir to this kingdom, this city—the entire world—would have flourished. Instead, all things living slowly rotted around them. The most base of negative human emotions ran rampant in this depressed city. These two women, the last of the Sailor Senshi, were the only ones left who could help Mamoru Chiba return the world to its proper alignment.

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_Sweet Dreams in the Present_

"Serenity, I have come back for you," the man's voice jarred Tskino Usagi from her deep slumber.

The blonde stirred, opening her eyelids slowly. Rolling over, she saw the form standing above her. His back was to the window, which cast enough light for Usagi to recognize the silhouette of a top hat, the edges of a domino mask, and the unnatural shape caused by, what she presumed to be, a cape.

"Mamo-chan?" she uttered, blinking tiredly. "Why are you dressed as Tuxedo Mask? Are we in danger?"

"No, my princess, not anymore," he whispered. His voice sounded slightly muffled, as though he held a hand over his mouth. He stooped over Usagi's form.

"What are you doing home from the hospital?" she asked. "Slow night in the ER?"

"I came get you," was his reply.

Usagi's head, adjusting to consciousness, still lingered on the edge of her dreams. Suddenly, the bright piercing light of a flame engulfed a corner of the room. Usagi closed her eyes and groaned. She covered her head with a blanket as she attempted to shield herself from the intense, burning light. Even underneath a layer of blankets, she could see the glow.

"Mamo-chan!" she scolded. A hint of grumpiness tinged her words.

"I will return, Serenity," he replied. The light faded from the room.

Usagi threw back the covers and glanced around. A glow bathed the hallway with light. While Usagi rolled over, she saw Tuxedo Mask's form fade, as if floating, through the doorway. She frowned. The light flickered from the direction of the living room. After a few moments, the light disappeared. Once again, the apartment was dark and quiet.

Usagi's eyelids slid shut. Her breaths became rhythmic, indicating that she had fallen back into deep sleep.

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End of Prologue

So…what did you think? Are you curious? Confused?

Thanks for reading. Please review!

Hollie


	2. The Present State of Mind

I, erm, really dropped the ball on this fic. I am so, so sorry for that, especially after leaving everyone with such a cryptic prologue. Still, many thanks for those of you who took the plunge and reviewed it.

I've always been intrigued by prologues. They're the part of the story that's not really part of the story, so I tend to use them as an experimental element. I hate explaining myself—the story should speak for itself—but I want to assure you that the rest of the story will be much more linear in its presentation.

So, without further ado,

The Missing Prince

Chapter 1: The Present State of Mind

Chiba Mamoru pounded his feet against the asphalt; each stride he took fell in perfect harmony with each heavy breath he drew in. He pumped his arms back and forth against his sides. His head bobbed up and down with every bounding step. He heard each of his breaths in his ears. With each footfall, Mamoru's wire-framed sunglasses bobbled; the spectacles slowly drifted from the bridge to the tip of his nose. Two or three loose coins jingled in the left pocket of his sweatpants.

He paused and directed his attention toward the East. The silvery orange glow of daybreak kissed the edges of the buildings that crammed the horizon. It was early morning, and already Mamoru was uncomfortably warm. The middle of August warranted hotter temperatures, but the heat still seemed uncharacteristic at this early hour.

A droplet of sweat slid down his right temple.

Mamoru pushed the bridge of his sunglasses up to the top of his nose and glanced around. Much of the Tokyo population was slow to emerge on Sunday mornings. Only a few other people were outside. Unlike the rest of the week, when Mamoru jogged against the steady stream of men and women scuttling to work, Sundays were calm and relaxed. Mamoru appreciated this break; on weekdays, his jog often turned into an obstacle course where he dodged absent-minded commuters. He spent more time ducking and weaving through the mass of people than he did actually jogging. Just a few ambitious individuals like himself spent their Sunday mornings on brisk walks or hearty jogs.

He plodded past Central Park. Located on one corner near the sidewalk was a tall green drinking fountain. Mamoru paused, stooped over the pedestal, and gripped the chrome knob with his right hand. A bubble of water spurted from the spout with a twist of his wrist. Mamoru greedily slurped.

The young man straightened and removed his sunglasses, which revealed his twilight blue eyes. He blinked while his gaze adjusted to the unrelenting brightness of day. Using the back of his right arm, Mamoru wiped sweat from his brow. He absently ran his hands through his disheveled, dark black hair. He bent over the drinking fountain a second time and took another drink.

Eventually, he stepped away from the pedestal to once again look around. He observed the lazy calm of his surroundings. Mamoru enjoyed the singsong of birds in the surrounding trees. He glanced skyward and noted that not one cloud lingered above.

Impulsively, Mamoru knelt down and touched the grassy edge of the park. He closed his deep blue eyes and concentrated. His position as the Earth's steward and future king granted him special powers, and with his simple touch, Mamoru assessed, in seconds, the condition of the planet. The ground greeted his fingertips with a spark. An electric surge of emotion shot up his arm and pounded into the core of his body.

He lifted his hand from the grass and stood. He smiled to himself as he shook his hand. For the first time in his life, Mamoru acknowledged that the planet was completely at peace.

He hardly believed that five years had passed since the Sailor Senshi's last battle, when Chaos and Sailor Galaxia had nearly succeeded in their attempt to take over the universe. The Senshi almost lost that fight. Had it not been for Eternal Sailor Moon, the Earth, as Mamoru now witnessed it, would not exist.

Although years had passed since Eternal Sailor Moon defeated Chaos and healed Sailor Galaxia's diseased star seed, Mamoru was still reluctant to believe their battling days were completely over. The Sailor Senshi fought so many opponents over so many years that the young man found it difficult to accept that they had finally won.

How could he think their battles were over after all the Senshi had suffered through? First, they had faced the ancient wrath of Queen Metallia; the Senshi were reborn to settle that centuries-old battle. Following Metallia's defeat, they encountered a new adversary—Nemesis. Queen Metallia had destroyed their past, while Nemesis was hell-bent on destroying their future. The battle against Nemesis wasn't easy, but the conviction of Sailor Moon and the Inner Senshi won out.

Unfortunately, peace was still out of reach. Upon returning to the present, the Senshi encountered the destruction-wielding Death Busters. For this battle, they were assisted by Sailor Neptune, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Pluto, and Sailor Saturn. Once that saga ended, another threat had taken its place; Queen Nehelania's twisted version of revenge nearly destroyed them all. Again, the Sailor Senshi prevailed. Then Galaxia came.

After so many enemies, so many adversaries, Mamoru spent years wondering if the world would finally be left alone.

On the surface, he and the others carried on with normal lives. Once Chaos was defeated, Mamoru returned to his studies. He continued to pursue a career in medicine. Yet, even though everything in his life seemed normal, Mamoru still anticipated the worst. He worried, despite the best efforts of the Sailor Senshi, that peace would never last. How could he assume, after dealing with likes of Queen Metallia, Nemesis, the Death Busters, the Dead Moon Circus, and Chaos, that their fighting days were over?

But Mamoru noticed, as more time passed, that the demand for the Sailor Senshi had faded considerably. He could not even remember the last time he donned his tuxedo and cape to fight an enemy, much less when he last witnessed Eternal Sailor Moon or the other Senshi in battle. After five youma-free years, Mamoru no longer anticipated another battle waiting for them around the corner.

He inhaled a deep breath. He was ready to accept that Earth would finally be allowed to dwell in peace. Mamoru could not help but to grin. He wanted to tell Usagi. What could be a better wedding present for the most powerful woman in the universe?

Mamoru put his sunglasses back on. He continued to jog.

He crossed the street and passed the movie theater. He smiled when he observed the poster in the marquis. In the center of the poster was the photograph of a pretty, blue-eyed girl surrounded by a stale lunar landscape. Little green men in flying saucers populated the background. Her blonde hair was twisted in two "odangos." She was dressed in a tight white sailor fuku with a very short navy blue skirt and sash. White knee-high heeled boots adorned the woman's shapely legs. A red bow on the lower back of her costume was barely visible in the photo; an identical red bow decorated the front of the uniform. The young woman's left hand was placed on her waist and her right hand was held straight out in front of her. Her forefinger and middle finger extended to form a _V_. _Salior Moon; for the Love of the Moon_ was scrawled in big, bold red lettering beneath the woman's feet. Under the movie title, the poster proclaimed, "Aino Minako returns as Sailor Moon!"

Mamoru chuckled to himself. Sailor Moon was no longer fighting, but Aino Minako, a.k.a. Sailor Venus, was. The Sailor Moon franchise was extremely popular, and Minako stood at the epicenter of the entire movement. She had already starred in two successful Sailor Moon movies. The merchandising from the first film alone was enough to make anyone's head spin.

When Minako initially announced that open auditions were being held for the first Sailor Moon film, Mamoru remembered Usagi nearly blowing a gasket.

"I've got this in the bag!" Minako squealed. "No one could be as convincing as Sailor Moon as me!"

"Hey wait a minute!" Usagi huffed. "I'm Sailor Moon!"

"In real life," Minako tactically countered, "But this is a movie. You can't be Sailor Moon in a movie. And anyway, I am your decoy, so I am PERFECT!"

Usagi's face turned bright red.

"You are Princess Serenity's decoy," she peevishly growled. "This is Sailor Moon. Only _I_ am Sailor Moon!"

"You're forgetting about Sailor Chibi Moon," Minako protested. "She's as much Sailor Moon as you are."

"She is not!" Usagi wailed. "What about your duty as the leader of the Senshi? Won't this interfere?"

"How could it, Usagi-chan?" demanded Minako. "In case you haven't noticed, the Sailor Senshi have been out of work, as of late. And anyway, wouldn't you prefer that the beautiful, dashing Aino Minako play Sailor Moon than some complete bubble head?"

"That better have not be a jab about my hair!" snapped Usagi.

Indeed, even Usagi had to admit that Minako was the best candidate for a celluloid version of Sailor Moon. Although Usagi made a large protest when Minako was offered the role, she beamed with pride at the first Sailor Moon movie premiere. Now, three films later, Minako's name was synonymous with Sailor Moon.

Mamoru reflected, as he continued jogging, that Minako had not completely turned her back on her role as Sailor V. He wondered if any moviegoers knew that Minako's _V_ pose was once a Sailor Venus trademark, back when she was the only famous Sailor Senshi. Following Sailor Moon's introduction, Sailor V faded into the background. How perfect that Minako debuted as a teen idol as the very person who had extinguished her popularity. Minako managed to attain the stardom she always craved by pretending to be Sailor Moon.

Mamoru plodded on, smiling. His morning jogs centered him. This was his time alone, when he could be silent and witness everything around him. The jaunts were also a great way for him to unwind from the hectic overnight shift at the ER. Mamoru walked to work each night just so that he could jog home in the mornings. It both revitalized and calmed him. After dealing with car accident victims and heart attacks, he needed to expel his negative exhaustion. He ran to energize himself.

Last night was rough. Just recalling the evening caused him to yawn from exhaustion. He craved his comfortable bed and a full day of sleep.

He rounded the corner and spotted the tan high-rise apartment building towering in front of him. He glanced at his balcony, which was located on the tenth floor of the twelve-story complex. He removed his sunglasses while he slowed his pace and crossed the street. He leapt onto the sidewalk.

Mamoru bounded up the front steps three at a time and entered through the glass front doors. He nodded and winked at the small elderly woman sitting at the front desk.

"Morning, Mrs. Tanaka."

He disappeared from the lobby before Mrs. Tanaka had a chance to glance up from her magazine, much less return his greeting. Mamoru passed the bank of elevators and opened the door to the stairwell. He sprinted up the steps, two at a time. His heavy footsteps on concrete echoed in the confined, hollow space.

When he arrived on the tenth floor, Mamoru threw the door open and entered the inner corridor. His apartment was the third one on his right. Mamoru noticed an oversized manila envelope propped against the door. His name was handwritten on the front of the envelope in dark, permanent black marker.

He picked it up and frowned.

Perhaps Usagi had dropped it off? He wondered. No, that didn't make sense; it wasn't her handwriting, and she had a key to his apartment. Mamoru remembered that Asanuma said he may drop off some old anatomy notes he had borrowed. He must have stopped by late last night.

Mamoru tucked the sealed envelope beneath his arm and pulled his keys from his pocket. He inserted a brass key in the lock and twisted. His blue eyes widened as he realized that his front door was not locked.

He dismissed his surprise with a shrug and entered his apartment. He removed his worn tennis shoes and slipped on a pair of dark navy slippers. Mamoru put the envelope on the black lacquered end table in the foyer.

He paused. His stomach churned with unease. Mamoru sensed a presence in the room; someone had recently been in his apartment. At first glance, nothing appeared to be out of place. He still felt uneasy. Someone—or something—had been inside.

Mamoru grabbed a pointed umbrella from the entryway; he held it like a sword in front of his body while he stepped cautiously into his living room. He tiptoed through the living room, around his dining table, and into his kitchen. An unpleasant, unfriendly presence definitely lingered in the air, but Mamoru found nothing physical to indicate who or what had caused it.

He continued his search, creeping silently down the hallway toward the last two, unsearched rooms in his apartment: the bathroom and the bedroom.

Mamoru quickly switched the lights on in his bathroom, half expecting unveil a ghost or burglar hidden behind the shower curtain. He threw the drape back quickly, only to find a dripping faucet. He turned toward the sink and was relieved that only his reflection was in the mirror.

He flipped the bathroom lights off and reentered the hall. Nothing seemed out of place, but he still felt unease. A chill sliced up his back.

Mamoru silently crossed to his bedroom. He pushed open the partially-closed door. The mini-blinds were drawn, but a hint of morning sunshine filtered through the slats, casting slivers of light across his unmade bed. Mamoru leaned against the doorframe.

A petite figure was buried beneath the covers. Long tendrils of silky blonde hair spilled from the small bit of head visible in the mass of blankets. Golden strands cascaded over the side of the bed. A young woman's small pale face peeked out from a pile of pillows and blankets. Her eyes were closed. Her delicate lips were pursed into a small smile, like she experienced a wonderful dream.

Mamoru grinned. Any uneasiness washed away and was forgotten. He entered the bedroom. He noticed her clothes were scattered on the floor in front of him. He glanced back to her. She wore one of his old tuxedo shirts. He smiled when he noticed that the oversized shirt dwarfed her already small body.

He kneeled beside the bed and gazed at her angelic face. Warmth bubbled inside of Mamoru. The young woman's hands were clasped together in front of her lips. A small white gold band with a single diamond sparkled on her left ring finger.

Mamoru leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. His lips lingered near her ear.

"Good morning, 'Odango,'" he whispered. He sat back and stroked the hair around her forehead.

She stirred. Her lashes fluttered open, revealing her bright, tired blue eyes.

"Mamo-chan?" she whispered, stretching her arms.

"Yes?"

"You're late," Usagi said. She squished her face together and attempted to look angry.

"I'm sorry, Usako," he whispered. "I got held up at the hospital. A burn victim. It wasn't pretty."

"But you said you were coming right back," she mumbled as she rolled onto her back. Mamoru crawled into the bed beside her. Usagi placed her head on his shoulder and rolled into his side. He breathed the air around her. She smelled like vanilla.

"When did I say that?" he pondered. He twisted his finger around a lock of her long, golden hair.

"This morning," Usagi sleepily replied. "You said you would never forget me and then you flew away."

Mamoru smiled. "I flew? That must have been a pretty good dream! What else did I do?"

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi growled.

"Okay, okay!" Mamoru laughed. The last thing he wanted was to irritate Usagi before she was completely awake. "What else did I do?"

"You started a big fire."

"Oh? I must have been getting into touch with my outdoorsman side."

"Hmm?" she said hazily. She was already drifting back to sleep.

"Nothing, Usako," he replied. He kissed the top of her head and held her close. He stared up at the ceiling.

A chill shot up his spine. Once again, he was reminded of the strange aura in his apartment and the unlocked door. His heart jumped into his throat as he pondered what that feeling was and where it had come from.

After a few moments, he whispered, "Usako?"

"Hmmm?"

"I noticed that you left the door unlocked when I got here. Can you remember to lock it next time? You may be the infamous Sailor Moon, but I'd still feel better if you locked the door when I'm not here."

"You must've forgotten to lock it when you flew away," she airily replied before again drifting into her chasm of sleep.

Mamoru warily smiled. He closed his eyes. Before he allowed himself to fall asleep, he silently reminded himself to speak with Usagi again about locking the door. She seemed safe, but he still felt unsettled over the strange aura he detected in his apartment.

Mamoru tightly squeezed Usagi and kissed her forehead again. The most precious thing in the world to him was the small, precocious young woman who slept in his arms. He would stop at nothing to protect her.

He yawned. The calm feeling he experienced earlier that morning in the park was gone.

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End of Chapter 1

I hope that made more sense. Sorry if it screams exposition too much, but I wanted to ground the reader in exactly where they were. I've written a lot of this story already, but it needs a LOT of revision. Don't worry; I don't plan to take as long updating the next chapter as I did updating this one. Just a couple more things:

First of all, I wrote this chapter a while ago, so I hope my Sailor Moon history hasn't failed me. It's been a while since I've read the mangas. If anything is glaringly incorrect, please let me know.

Secondly, you probably know already that I am not Japanese. Although I do plan to visit Japan sometime in the future, I do not currently have an intimate knowledge of Tokyo; all that I have gleaned comes from comics, cartoons, and movies. I hope you can suspend your disbelief in that regard. I'll try my best to be accurate about Sailor Moon stuff (the shrine, Usagi's home, etc.), but I can't say it will be an accurate portrayal of Tokyo.

Finally, even though I'm using the characters' Japanese names, this is the limit of my Japanese. Just like I mentioned in the above paragraph, all I know about Japanese comes from watching too much anime.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the prologue. I really, really appreciated them!

Please review and let me know what ya think!

Hollie


	3. A Lonely Princess

I thought I'd give y'all a coronary by posting a new chapter. No guarantees that I'll post this frequently in the future.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Your response is why I posted another chapter so quickly. That, and half of this story is already written. I still must devote a lot of time to editing/rewriting, so your encouragement was appreciated.

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The Missing Prince

Chapter 2: A Lonely Princess

Usagi sat at a corner booth at Crown Parlour, a chocolate milkshake in one hand and her Greek Mythology textbook in the other. She tried to read but she was distracted. Instead, she blankly stared at the book while she mindlessly sucked down the remaining half of her chocolaty shake.

Biting down on the blue and white striped straw, Usagi frowned. She had a test on Hesiod's _Theogony_ in the morning and she was attempting to re-read a few of the portions of her text that may—or may not—be noteworthy. Yet, try as she might to turn her full attention to her studies, Usagi's upcoming nuptials kept drifting to the forefront of her mind. Words like "Mamoru," "wedding," and "happily ever after" kept swirling in front of her clouded gaze.

The young woman, catching herself in yet another daydream, blinked her blue eyes several times before again focusing her attention on her textbook. She sighed wistfully and silently cursed her own stupid judgment for electing to take a full load of summer classes. When she signed up that spring, Mamoru tried to point out that her finals would most likely fall the week before their wedding.

"That's good, isn't it, Mamo-chan?" Usagi remembered enthusiastically commenting to him. "The wedding will be a good ending to all of the craziness of tests and papers."

"I don't really want to think of our wedding as an ending," Mamoru replied dryly, a smirk on his lips.

With a heavy sigh, Usagi slurped more of her milkshake. She acknowledged that Mamoru was probably right; planning a wedding and attending school full time was a pain. When she worked on wedding stuff, she always worried about how overloaded she was at school; while she studied, her mind drifted over whether she'd remembered to call the florist or if she and her mom had created enough party favors for the reception. She obsessed over Homer and tablecloth colors. It was enough to drive anyone mad. It didn't help that Usagi was determined to ace her exam tomorrow, despite her inability to study.

At one time, Tsukino Usagi may have been a notorious, clumsy bubble brain at Juuban Junior High and, later, at Juuban High School. Now, at twenty-one years old, she'd changed.

She smiled and glanced out of the window. The booth she sat at was far too large for one person, but Unazuki still let Usagi sit there, even though she was usually alone. In junior high and high school, Usagi recalled many afternoons spent chatting with her friends in this corner. Simply sitting at this booth made Usagi very happy.

She liked to imagine that all of her friends were here, just like when they were girls. Sometimes, when she closed her bright blue eyes, she thought she heard Minako-chan's obsessive chatter with Makoto about boys, Rei-chan's biting remarks, or Ami's occasional interruptions. Usagi loved to hear their laughter, even if it was only in her imagination. She envisioned them all sitting around the booth, smiling at her. She recalled the warmth of Michiru's laughter and the affectionate glean in Haruka's smile which always caused Usagi to blush. Setsuna always sat calmly at the end of the table, silently observing everyone, just as she had for centuries. She envisioned Hotaru and Chibiusa on the other end of the booth sharing a hot fudge sundae; Usagi recalled the two younger girls chatting about their classes and how much they hated boys.

Eventually, Usagi opened her eyes and found that she sat in their favorite booth, alone.

She tried to cheer herself up. Just sitting in this booth helped her feel a little better. Usagi wasn't as lonely here as when she studied at the library on campus. She really hated visiting the library; she suspected the place was haunted. The vaulted ceilings of the reading room echoed every time she turned the page in her textbook or cleared her throat. The room was usually packed with other studious scholars, but Usagi still felt incredibly isolated when she was there. She spent most of her time attempting keep her pencils from rolling into another student's study space. At Crown Parlor, she felt more at home.

Finishing her milkshake with one final, echoing slurp, Usagi pushed her glass away and again faced her textbook. The left side of her book contained the original Greek text and the right side was the English translation. She could have bought the textbook with the translation in Japanese, but Usagi decided that she should practice both her Greek and English language skills. She still felt so backwards when she tried to use either language.

"Test tomorrow?" Unazuki questioned as she picked up the empty glass on the edge of the table. Usagi looked up and smiled at the girl.

"Yeah," she replied with a nod. "Some of the translation is different, which throws me off a bit." She motioned casually at the text on the two pages.

Unazuki glanced at the book and frowned. She recognized the English letters, but the opposite page was a cryptic mess of shapes. How on Earth could Usagi figure it out? Shingo used to tell Unazuki that his sister was stupid, but she found it hard to believe. She guessed that Usagi was at least as smart as Mizuno Ami.

"It's Greek to me," Unazuki finally laughed casually, wiping only the edge of Usagi's table with a bleached rag. The majority of the surface was covered with loose papers and books.

"It _is_ Greek!" Usagi laughed, appreciating the joke. Unazuki frowned. Realizing that Unazuki wasn't intentionally making a joke, Usagi stopped laughing. A brief, uncomfortable silence followed. "How is Motoki?" Usagi finally asked.

"He's great!" smiled Unazuki. "He and Reika are arriving on Wednesday, I think."

Usagi blushed at the Unazuki's tone. Her brother and his wife were coming all the way from Africa for Usagi and Mamoru's wedding. Usagi could hardly believe that her nuptials were just six days away. _A week from today, I'll have been Mrs. Mamoru Chiba for a whole day, _she silently gushed.

"I got an email from him the other day," added Unazuki, interrupting Usagi's thoughts. It took a moment for the blonde to realize that Unazuki still spoke of Motoki. "He wanted me to tell you and Mamoru _hi._ I'll bet Mamoru got an email from him too, though."

"Probably," Usagi answered, her smile fading a little.

She thought about how quickly things changed. Motoki and Reika had been gone for nearly two years, but Usagi still thought that she would catch a glimpse of the blonde young man—apron clad, of course—whenever she walked past Crown Arcade. The arcade was more popular than when she was a schoolgirl; Usagi felt like something was missing without Motoki around. Now, when she peered in through the arcade's glass windows, her brother, Shingo, was the one wearing a long, white apron and manning the counter.

"I hear that Shingo's dragging you to the wedding," Usagi said, winking at the brunette still standing in front of her.

Unazuki blushed. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not!" was Usagi's hasty answer.

Honestly, she did not know what Unazuki saw in her annoying little brother. They'd been dating for at least a year. Usagi thought the girl must be a saint disguised as a high school student.

Her blue eyes wandered back to the window. Usagi's eyes sparkled while a small, slightly devious smile curled her lips. She wondered what Shingo would do if he discovered that the Sailor Senshi's secret control room was underneath his feet. That would really surprise him! She suddenly frowned. She couldn't remember the last time she visited the control room.

She didn't notice Unazuki step away from the booth and return to the kitchen.

Usagi sighed again. Five years had passed since she defeated Chaos; five years since she was last Eternal Sailor Moon. Five short but very eventful years distanced her from her life as a Senshi. Since then, she'd graduated from high school and was now in her third year of college. She and her friends had gone their separate ways. Five years had passed since she really felt like she was a part of something.

Everyone who was close to Usagi knew that something about her changed back then. Sure, she was still the hopeful, loving girl she always was, but since her last battle, Usagi transitioned from less of a crying, loud mess and into a stoic, silent pillar of strength. Now, she was more like her future self—Neo-Queen Serenity—than she was clumsy little Tsukino Usagi. She was more self-reliant, confident, and independent.

After having the world fall out from underneath you like that, you were bound to gain some perspective, Usagi reasoned. Before the Chaos, when empty darkness clouded her world, the girl never considered that she may ever be totally alone. Usagi realized that she would never be completely by herself, but now, after facing her greatest fear, she was more comfortable with the possibility.

Usagi's transformation was obvious, even to an outsider. Take for example, her college courses.

Admittedly, school had never been Usagi's strongest point. She was constantly late and always fell asleep during class. In high school, Usagi never thought of herself as a good student. In fact, she went out of her way to be an underachiever. She _hated _school. Well, she didn't hate everything about school, but she knew that she detested studying and tests. In fact, her favorite subjects were lunch and home economics. Ami told her once, when they were still in school together, that lunch wasn't a subject.

"Well, it should be!" Usagi proclaimed defiantly. "Lunch's so much better than English and Math!"

"Well, English and Math _are_ hard," admitted Ami, "but they would be a lot easier if you took the classes more seriously and studied."

"No way!" replied the petite blonde. "I am never going to take parallelograms and conjenctions more seriously."

"They're conjunctions, Usagi-chan," Ami corrected.

How things have changed, Usagi thought, still staring out of the giant glass window pane at Crown Parlour at nothing in particular.

Prior to Sailor Galaxia, all Usagi thought about was marrying Mamoru and living happily ever after. Usagi knew they were destined to be together—the existence of Chibiusa made that abundantly clear—and, as a result, Usagi never thought about what she would do if there was no Mamoru.

She sighed, closing her Greek Mythology textbook. With her mind wandering, she knew wouldn't get any more studying done. Usagi leaned back in the booth and looked up at the grey, pattered ceiling tiles above her head.

Before she knew of her previous life as the Moon Princess, she was a giddy, lazy schoolgirl. Like her friends, Usagi fantasized about marrying a handsome prince who would sweep her off of her feet. Her most important tasks were video games, shopping, reading manga, and gossiping.

Enter her life as Sailor Moon. Sworn to protect, as Sailor Moon she was destined to find the Ginzuishou and the Moon Princess. For the first time in her life, Usagi had a direction and a goal. She had a mission. At first, she was reluctant to become Sailor Moon; however, when the threat of Queen Metalia intensified, so too, did this young girl's determination to fight.

Usagi's love life had also evolved from that moment. While Sailor Moon became enraptured with the dashing hero Tuxedo Mask, so also did her alter-ego find herself infatuated with Chiba Mamoru. They fell in love and soon discovered their past lives. Usagi found herself more entwined in her past life. She fell in love with the idea of spending her future with Mamoru. When enemies threatened their peace, Usagi and Mamoru fought back with their love.

The young woman could hardly believe that her wedding to Mamoru was less than a week away. Her heart was heavy with trepidation and excitement. She could hardly wait to become his bride. Yet, part of Usagi was frightened. She remembered how her heart broke when Mamoru chose attend medical school in America. She knew his absence from her life was temporary, but Usagi still thought the loneliness might kill her. Of course, Sailor Galaxia seized that moment, when Usagi was already so vulnerable, to take Mamoru's star seed. Even before she allowed herself to remember that his star seed was stolen, Usagi felt incomplete without him. When he did not write to her, Usagi allowed a pit of doubt to eat at her heart. She'd wondered if he forgot about her.

Before then, Usagi never really considered that she could do anything without Mamoru. She always felt that the only reason she was strong was because of his love and support. Usagi proved that she could do quite a bit as Eternal Sailor Moon, Neo-Queen Serenity and the Moon Princess, but Usagi questioned what she could do as plain Chiba Usagi. Was she only destined to be Mamoru's wife?

Five years ago, she'd decided to broaden her horizons. Hence, she began to study a little harder at school. The Sailor Senshi faded from necessity and her fellow scouts became wrapped up in their own lives, too. Whereas Usagi might have felt abandoned and betrayed before, she was silently grateful when she had extra free time to catch up on her calculus and world history. Usagi's grades soon reflected her study habits; she noticed how accomplished she felt. It was much the way she felt after a long, difficult battle with a youma.

Sighing, Usagi looked across the parlor to the clock hanging on the far wall. Three-thirty. Mamoru would still be asleep. She planned to stop at his apartment around five so they could share dinner together and go over some last-minute wedding details. Usagi was not much of a cook, but Makoto had walked her through a lemon ginger chicken stir-fry recipe that was now one of Mamoru's favorites. Usagi was glad that he liked some of her cooking. A few nights ago, she managed to burn spaghetti. Luna chided her for it, demanding to know how she could ruin something as easy to prepare as pasta.

A male voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked. Usagi snapped out of her daze. Her eyes rested on the young man standing in front of her booth. He was tall and had cropped blonde hair. She remembered seeing him at school, but, aside from that basic recognition, she couldn't place his face.

"Sure, ah…" Usagi stammered, hoping that he would introduce himself.

"Dominic, Dominic Wrathbourn," he stated, extending his right hand. Usagi extended hers. A shock of energy surged through her skin when he touched her hand. Her blue eyes widened as she glanced at his firm grip. Her gaze drifted from his finely toned arm, over his broad shoulder and rested on his face. Dominic flashed a dashing, white-toothed smile. Usagi grinned back. His dark blue eyes seemed oddly familiar.

"I'm Tsukino Usagi," she stammered, realizing that he'd been waiting for her to introduce herself. She eyed him curiously. He was extremely handsome; his features included a pronounced, rugged jaw line, full, kissable lips, and a perfectly pointed nose. His shaggy, sandy blonde hair covered his forehead. He had what could only be described as boyish good looks.

"I'm in your Greek Mythology class," he explained. "I normally wouldn't approach you like this, but I came in to study and recognized your textbook."

Usagi glanced at her closed book. She possessively pulled it closer to her. It was a silly gesture, she realized, when she looked up and saw the inquisitive, amused look painted on Dominic's face.

"And so you came over?" Usagi absently asked. Dominic's dark gaze bore into her. Her cheeks turned pink.

"May I?" he politely asked, gesturing to sit down.

Usagi mutely nodded. She scooted around the side of the booth to allow the young man a wide berth. He placed his backpack beside him, on the seat.

An awkward silence followed. Usagi, eager to be polite, cleared her throat. "Where are you from?" She knew from his accent that he was not Japanese.

"Uh," Dominic muttered, fumbling in his bag for his textbook, "I'm from the U.S. San Francisco."

"Oh!" Usagi smiled. "One of my best friends is in San Francisco right now!"

"Really?" he said, slapping the hardback Mythology book on the table.

"Yes," Usagi continued, remembering Ami's last postcard of the Golden Gate Bridge. "She really enjoys it. She loves the city."

"Well," Dominic surmised, "there are a lot of drawbacks living in that particular city."

Usagi peered at him. Why did he look so familiar?

"Is your family Japanese?" she questioned. "Your grammar is very good."

"Thanks. My parents were Japanese. I don't remember them. My uncle taught me. I was born in Tokyo."

"Really?"

"I guess," Dominic mumbled. "I don't remember. I was too young. My parents sent me to live with my uncle when I was really young. All I remember is my life in America."

"That must have been hard for you," Usagi responded. She was only half-listening to Dominic; her mind wandered to the wedding checklist she'd forgotten at Mamoru's. Still, she should at least pretend to be polite. "Why did you come back?"

"Something was missing from my life," he told her. "I thought it might be here."

"Have you found it yet?" she asked, propping her head on her left hand.

"I don't know," he looked up at her, gazing into her crystal blue eyes. "Maybe."

Usagi blushed and averted her eyes to the tabletop. He looked at her with such a desperation and longing that it made her uncomfortable.

"Maybe you'll find it in Greek Mythology!" she brightly suggested, attempting to change the subject. She reached for her textbook. As Dominic spoke, she thumbed through the pages.

"Yes! Why didn't I see it before?" he chipped in, opening his own text.

Relieved that Dominic's dark gaze was focused on his textbook and not on her, Usagi decided to stay and study with him for a short while. Her mind was less prone to wedding wandering when someone else was present to snap her back to the subject at hand. She and Dominic were soon immersed in their studying. The pair bounced ideas and Greek characters off of each other. Two milkshakes later, Dominic groaned and threw his head onto his open book.

"Too many Greek names!"

Usagi giggled. "I don't think that attitude will go over with the professor," she said.

She glanced up at the wall clock and gasped. She needed to make a couple of stops on her way to Mamoru's and it was already a quarter after four.

"I am very sorry, Dominic-san," she said, gathering up her books and stuffing her loose lecture notes haphazardly into her bag. "But I have to go."

An engagement photo of her and Mamoru fell out her bag's outer pocket and slid across the table toward Dominic. The young man reached for the picture. While he inspected the photo, his expression hardened for a moment before softening with curiosity. His eyebrows arched as he looked at Usagi.

"Is this your boyfriend?"

"He's my fiancée, actually."

"You're engaged?"

Usagi nodded. She hated that his question made her blush. She attempted to hide her discomfort by saying excitedly, "Not for much longer, though. Our wedding's next weekend."

"Oh."

Dominic looked away from her, focusing his attention to the now vacant tabletop in front of them. He held the photo out for her. Usagi snapped the picture from his fingers and carefully returned it to the front pocket of her book bag. She slid to the other end of the booth. Standing, she slung her bag back over her shoulder.

"It was very nice meeting you, Dominic-san," she said brightly.

The blonde young man hesitated before shifting his eyes from the table. "Yeah," he said.

Usagi grinned and extended her hand. Dominic paused before extending his own. Again, an odd spark of energy zapped Usagi's skin with his contact. The girl dismissed the connection; at present, she was eager to be away from Dominic's scrutinizing, dark gaze.

"Good luck on the test tomorrow!"

"Thanks," was Dominic's absent response. "You too."

Usagi was halfway across Crown Parlour when the young man called out to her. The blonde pivoted on the ball of her foot and faced him. He smiled at her. She didn't know Dominic, but Usagi recognized insincerity when she saw and heard it.

"Congratulations," he said in English, "about your wedding."

Thrown off guard by the boy's well wishes, Usagi dumbly stared at him for a moment. She thanked him with a nervous laugh, turned again toward the exit, and hurried out of Crown Parlour.

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End of Chapter 2

Please review.

Hollie


	4. A New Enemy

The Missing Prince  
Chapter 3: The New Enemy

Located in the depths of The Crown Arcade, down a narrow basement corridor, was a secret room. For the last seven years, the room, primarily accessible via the Sailor V Video Game, went undetected. Even the emergency door was never discovered; to the unfamiliar eye, this door appeared to be an irregularity in the wall of the basement, a small divot much like the one located on the opposite side of the corridor. However, this was no ordinary door leading to an ordinary room. It was the secret control base for the Sailor Senshi.

The control room was infiltrated once, when the inner Senshi first formed; the headquarters were nearly obliterated by Tuxedo Mask. Since then, extra security provisions were installed and the room was lined with an improved shield.

The room was intruder-proof, but now the elaborate security system seemed obsolete. The row of built-in computer monitors and keyboards lining one wall were covered with an impressive layer of dust from disuse. Collections of cobwebs spanned over the ceiling and covered the walls. Save for a path of paw prints scattered across the dusty checkerboard black-and-white tiled floor, the Senshi headquarters appeared as though it had been abandoned for years.

The paw prints trailed across the room and to the right, to one glowing computer monitor in the far corner. Sitting side-by-side were two cats; one was completely white with a dark crescent moon shape on its forehead, while the other feline had a black coat with a yellow crescent on its brow. The two cats stared intently at the flashing screen in front of them. The black cat placed her paws on the keyboard.

"Really Artemis!" she muttered while she frantically typed. "We came here to check on abnormal activity, not to get weather reports."

Artemis placed his white paw on the black cat's shoulder. "But I think the weather's telling us something," he insisted.

"I think you've had too much sun," dryly retorted his companion. She rested her leg underneath her. If she could have crossed her front paws over her chest, she would have. Artemis annoyed her to no end.

"Just give me a sec, Luna, and I'll show you."

The black cat rolled her eyes and let out an audible, impatient sigh. Artemis ignored his companion and instead reached for the keyboard. He punched coordinates into the computer, which pulled a weather report onscreen. Already, he'd shown Luna the forecast from a Tokyo station and another from Russia. Artemis sat back while a weather report from a local news station in the United States materialized on the screen.

Luna again rolled her eyes to the ceiling while she silently noted that, just like the other broadcasts Artemis made her watch, the weather was reported by a young, bubbly girl. The American woman wore a tight white shirt and a matching red fringed vest. Luna shuddered.

"Whoowhee!" the girl exclaimed, "It's been a real hot one here! And it looks like things are goin' to be gettin' even hotter over the next few days!"

"Of course it's hot!" Luna exclaimed. "Artemis, it's summer, and that's obviously Texas. It's always hot in Texas at this time of the year!"

Artemis' triumphant expression transitioned to disappointment. His pointed ears pressed flat against his head. He didn't know why Luna's remark bothered him so much; it wasn't like his female companion ever hesitated to chastise him. Determined to make his point more clear, he reached for the keyboard and pressed in another coordinate. The woman with the big blonde hair and dangling cowboy boot earrings was replaced by the image of a man dressed in a tailored suit jacket, ivory shirt and green tie.

"That heat wave is going to stick around for a while," the man said, "Anchorage authorities have issued a health warning, reminding citizens to drink plenty of water..."

Artemis muted the volume. He faced Luna, who now stared thoughtfully into space.

"So what if it's hot?" Luna finally muttered. Her gaze fell to the white cat seated beside her. "It's August. It's the hottest month in the year."

"Not this hot," persisted Artemis. He leaned forward and typed. "There's something else, too."

He hit the _enter _button and sat back. A diagram of the sun materialized onscreen. On the far left side of the round sphere were a collection of dark spots.

Luna gasped. "Sun spots?"

Artemis nodded. "They've gotten bigger, too. Look."

After a hasty bit of typing, the white cat tapped the _enter_ button again. A diagram of the sun from June appeared on the screen. In this image, the dark spots appeared remarkably smaller than the more recent diagram.

Luna groaned. Not sun spots again! Historically, they were a notoriously bad sign. Sun spots proceeded Queen Metallia's attack on the Earth; they were also the dark omen of the Silver Millennium's destruction. Sailor Moon and the others were reawakened because of the evil force unleashed by dark spots on the Sun.

"Metallia?" Luna whispered, dreading to even remember that negative force or her minion, Beryl.

"I don't know," Artemis confessed truthfully. He still stared at the diagram onscreen. "I don't think so, since Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask vaporized Metallia."

"She's come back before," Luna reasoned. "Of course, we were all reborn the last time." In a more hopeful tone, she added, "Maybe it's just some natural activity."

"Maybe."

Artemis knew what Luna was most concerned about. It wasn't the threat of a new enemy. Taken the Sailor Senshis' track record, both he and Luna knew that they could hold their own. They knew that the girls' loyalty and conviction made them invincible heroines.

Artemis sighed wearily.

No, it wasn't the threat of battle that frightened the two cats. They both dreaded to think of the impact caused by another disruption in the girls' lives. Artemis and Luna remembered all too well the struggles all of the Senshi experienced during junior high and high school. Now, they were all busy living normal lives. In the past few years, Minako, Makoto, Ami, and Rei had had the opportunity to chase their dreams. They lived regularly without carrying the burden of protecting the planet on their shoulders.

"Maybe I'm overreacting," Artemis said finally. He punched a button on the keyboard, which changed the monitor's image from sun spots to the Sailor V game startup screen.

Luna nodded silently. She wanted him to be right. She dreaded the thought of forcing the girls to become Sailor Senshi again. Ami was at a medical school in the United States, Makoto was attending culinary school in Paris, and Rei was studying to become the temple priestess at Hikawa Shrine. The black cat thought of Usagi and Mamoru's wedding. The threat of a new enemy couldn't come at a worse time for those two. They'd fought enough battles.

No, Luna didn't want it to be true.

"Perhaps we should observe it a little longer," she suggested to Artemis. "If it gets worse, we'll alert the others."

"If what get's worse?" Usagi's familiar voice pondered behind them. Luna and Artemis both jumped.

Turning, their eyes rested on a young woman with blonde pigtails. She wore a pair of denim shorts and a fitted pink shirt. Matching pink and white tennis shoes were on her feet. A large book bag was slung over her shoulder. A crystal pendant, fastened on a delicate sliver chain around her neck, sparkled in the nearly dark room.

"Usagi-chan?" Luna gasped. Usagi smiled. She dropped her stuffed bag at her feet.

"You look great, Luna," Usagi replied. She bent forward and hugged the slender black cat. For the longest time, she and Luna were inseparable. Luna served as Usagi's guardian and advisor. While she grew up, Usagi often regarded Luna as a pain; back then, the black cat spent much of her time observing—and scrutinizing—Usagi's every move. Despite those rocky years, the young woman loved Luna very much.

Three years ago, when Usagi moved out of her parents' house to attend college, Luna became homeless. She could have stayed behind with the Tsukino family, but without Usagi around, Luna felt unneeded and unwanted. Instead, the feline opted join Artemis at Minako's parents' house. Everyone knew that Luna and Artemis were companions in the future, so it was only right that they live together now. Still, the girls couldn't resist teasing Luna about her shared future with Artemis. The black cat knew that she and Artemis had a daughter in the future, but for the time being, she couldn't imagine doing anything more with the dashing white cat but share a can of tuna fish.

"How is school?" Artemis questioned as Usagi gave him an affectionate hug.

The girl made a face as she stood.

"Don't ask!" she groaned. "I have a test tomorrow morning in Greek Mythology!"

Luna smiled. Most likely, Usagi had spent the majority of the day studying.

"I needed a break," the blonde said, drifting around the room. She remembered the Senshi headquarters being bigger. "I thought I might stop by and see how the control room was doing. I didn't think anyone else would be down here."

"Yes, well, we like to keep an eye on things," responded Luna. She cast a sideways glance at Artemis, her eyes wide and questioning. Should they tell Usagi about the sun spots?

Usagi, not noticing the silent exchange between the two cats, walked to a table standing in the opposite corner of the room. She remembered, on a night nearly seven years ago, leaning against this table and crying her eyes out. She'd just been revealed as Princess Serenity. Tuxedo Mask's body had been taken...

The moment came back to her in a flash, as if it had only happened the day before. And yet, it seemed a distant memory, much like her life before in the Moon Kingdom. She remembered the day when Tuxedo Mask, as Beryl's minion, infiltrated the control room and tried to kill her and her friends.

Shuddering, she turned away from the table. She wrapped her arms protectively in front of her.

"And how are things?" she inquired, attempting to distract herself. Some memories were best left in the past.

"Um…well…everything appears to be fine," Artemis stammered.

"But?" she asked.

"We want to keep an eye on something." Luna responded.

Usagi frowned inquisitively at the black cat. Luna sighed with defeat and pushed a button on the keyboard, which again flashed the previous diagram of the sun onscreen. The image of the July sun was beside the August sun, which illustrated a perfect progression of the spots.

While the monitor flickered, Usagi casually shifted her gaze toward the light. She walked to the glowing screen, her sapphire eyes widening with concern. Her already pale face turned a clammy white.

"Is that?" she whispered, her voice trailing off. With a shudder, she recalled the battle with Queen Metallia.

"It's a sun spot," Artemis noted. "It could just be a coincidence."

Usagi stared at the images. Her vision blurred. During her years as Sailor Moon, she quickly learned that nothing was coincidence. Everything happened for a reason, even supposedly natural phenomena like spots on the sun.

"We weren't going to mention anything unless we were certain," Luna said apologetically. "We didn't want to overreact over a false alarm. Especially with the wedding coming up and all..."

Usagi nodded her head. She was still deep in thought. Like the two felines, she didn't want to assume the worst, either. Yet, during the past couple of days, she felt uneasy, like something bad might happen. Her first reaction was to dismiss the dark foreboding as pre-wedding jitters. Now, she wondered why she ignored her instincts.

The girl blinked her blue eyes and shifted her attention away from the image onscreen. She crossed to her loaded backpack, knelt on one knee, and unzipped a side pocket. She dug her right hand into the narrow opening, fumbling past ballpoint pens, erasers, and loose paperclips. Buried beneath her keys, she felt a watchband. Usagi fished it out.

"It's good to see that you still have your communicator," Luna observed approvingly.

Usagi smiled and winked at the cat while she fastened the pink band around her right wrist.

"You were right in not wanting to alert the Senshi," she stated while she stood up. Her voice was commanding and confident, reminding Luna of Neo Queen Serenity.

"But we should keep an eye on the activity," continued Usagi. She thought of her friends. Aside from her and Rei, the other Inner Senshi were scattered across the planet. Everyone was scheduled to arrive in town by the end of the week for Usagi's wedding to Mamoru. Still, the blonde silently realized, if the threat was serious, she may need their assistance sooner. She stared down at the floor tiles. "Any idea of where Minako is these days?"

"She's in New Zealand," Artemis chimed, "Filming the newest Sailor Moon movie."

Usagi frowned.

"We heard from Minako yesterday," Luna volunteered. "She's flying in on Thursday."

Sighing, Usagi muttered, "Good. All of the Senshi will be together in a week's time," Usagi stated, "which gives us a few days to observe any abnormal solar activity. If you detect anything that shouldn't be there, let me know on the communicator." Winking, she added, "Eternal Sailor Moon will check it out!"

Luna cleared her throat. "What about your wedding, Usagi-chan? It seems hardly fair, with everything else you have going on, to expect you do everything."

The blonde considered her upcoming exams and the list of wedding "to-do's" she had yet to accomplish. If Usagi felt overloaded with responsibilities before, she felt doubly weighted down now. She was touched by Luna's concern, but couldn't admit how overwhelmed she was, so she instead shrugged and smiled. "Almost everything's in order," she lied.

Usagi realized that visit to Hikawa Jinja should be next on her itinerary. It had been ages since she last asked Rei for a fire reading.

"What about the Outer Senshi?" Artemis questioned.

Usagi smiled as she considered Michiru, Haruka, Setsuna, and Hotaru.

"They'll come to us if they have a problem," she stated mindfully. "They should remain at their posts and protect the world from outside threats. And they're all coming to the wedding, so we can brief them during the reception."

The girl sighed. She suddenly felt very tired. She picked up her book bag.

"I need go," she said approaching the exit.

"Usagi," Luna called, following after her. The blonde turned. "If you don't want to do this, Artemis and I can take care of it. We may not need Sailor Moon."

Usagi grinned. She looked at her pendant. It flickered.

"If I can't use this to help people," Usagi questioned, holding the crystal by the chain around her neck, "then what's the good of having it?"

Luna nodded. Usagi turned and opened the back door to the control room. She walked up a narrow stairway that led into the corner of Crown Arcade. She frowned. Becoming Sailor Moon again both excited and frightened her. In battle, Usagi knew she was a courageous warrior; she fought with all of her heart.

She hated to fight.

Her mind still racing from her conversation with Luna and Artemis, Usagi drudged past the crowds of screaming children and video game bleeps and buzzes. The automatic doors flew open, blasting warm air into her face.

The day was blazingly hot. The bright, late afternoon sunshine blinded her. Quietly cursing under her breath for leaving her sunglasses at Mamoru's, Usagi shielded her eyes with her right arm. Only a few other people were outside. Usagi reluctantly drug her feet along the broken sidewalk, distancing herself from the air conditioned arcade. Her bare legs already felt scorched from the radiating heat. She squinted down at the bright, glowing concrete beneath her.

Usagi paused at a drinking fountain near Juuban Central Park. She leaned forward, pressed her finger against the hot metallic button and drank the warm water. When she finished, she stood and wiped her forehead with the back of her arm; the heat made her sweat profusely. Although just a few minutes had passed since she left Luna and Artemis, Usagi already felt overheated and exhausted.

She shielded her eyes with the back of her hand again and squinted to look in the general direction of the sun. Was Queen Metallia—or something like Queen Metallia—waiting for an opportunity to attack the planet? Usagi shuddered at the thought.

She shifted her attention away from the sky and focused on the opposite horizon. A half-moon was visible; it was faint when compared to the intense light of the sun, but Usagi felt encouraged by the sight of it. The crystal pendant around her neck glowed brighter. She smiled. Already, the Ginzuishou sensed her unease. She wrapped the fingers of her left hand around the stone. The energy emitted by the crystal comforted her.

Usagi, considering the long journey to Hikawa Jinja, decided to cut through the park and walk in the shade of the trees. She stepped from the sidewalk to the one of several brick pathways through the park. Heat radiated from the red bricks, warming her ankles. When she neared a cluster of trees, Usagi moved from the pathway and walked across the sunburned grass. The blades bent and snapped under her sneakers. She ignored the dry ground and headed toward the inviting shade provided by the trees. Unfortunately, the temperature was just a hair cooler in the shade.

Again marveling how hot it was, Usagi's thoughts drifted to her earlier discussion with Artemis and Luna. Such an incredible heat wave couldn't be a coincidence; it had to be a direct result of those sun spots. She wondered what type of enemy lurked in those shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to attack the Earth.

Ignoring the heat, Usagi picked up her pace. A new sense of urgency gripped her. She had many questions for Rei. Usagi hoped that the young priestess could provide a few answers.

It wasn't until she was halfway through the park that she noticed how still and quiet the world was. Earlier, she spotted a few people, but now she was completely alone. She ignored her apprehension and pressed on. While she still remained beneath the protective covering of trees, Usagi paused and looked around her. A short distance from her concealed spot, she spied a group of children playing in a fountain in front of her. The kids splashed water at each other. Usagi smiled, remembering how she once engaged in such activities on hot summer days.

She took a couple of steps forward—toward the fountain—before pausing again. She peered at the children; she saw that they laughed and shrieked, but she couldn't actually hear them. Not noticing the young woman shaded by trees, the kids continued splashing water at each other. Usagi didn't hear the water slap the sides of the fountain or the sound of liquid splash out on the surrounding bricks.

Usagi stepped forward, out of the shade, and strained to listen for any sound. The children were so visibly active in the fountain. Her blue eyes glanced to the surrounding benches, where the children's parents were seated, chatting with each other. How could she not hear them? She wondered if the heat was getting to her. A dark shadow fell over her. Usagi looked above her head; the immediate area was engulfed in darkness.

Realizing the imminent danger of the situation, Usagi bounded toward the fountain.

"Get those kids out of here!" she shouted as loudly as she could, frantically waving her free arm in the air. She hoped that, despite the odd muffled silence, they heard her.

The children and their parents paused and turned to look in her direction. Their expressions transitioned from passing curiosity to horror. Usagi's stomach quivered when she realized that they looked past her. Something was behind her. An intense, hot blast of air blasted at her back, confirming her suspicions. Fortunately, what others saw was frightening enough to scare the children out of the water. Usagi couldn't hear them, but she knew they screamed.

Sucking in a deep breath of courage, the young woman turned around. Indeed, a figure stood before her, but it was so bright that she had to shield her eyes. It appeared to be a human, but Usagi could not even tell if it was a man or a woman. Her bright blue eyes watered uncontrollably. She averted her gaze and stared at the figure's feet.

Clutching her crystal pendant, Usagi shouted into the air, "Silver moon crystal…"

Before she completed her transformation, an impressive beam of bright, hot light burst from the torso of the creature in front of her. The rush of energy squarely hit Usagi, knocking her backward off of the dried, brown lawn and onto a nearby pathway. Her book bag split apart, sending her mythology notes scattering across the ground. Usagi's back slammed against the red bricks. The skin on her elbows tore while the back of her head smacked into the hard surface. She clamped her eyes shut and moaned. Her head swam. A radiant heat warmed her skin, indicating that the enemy was closer than before.

Usagi slowly opened her lids; her eyes still watered from the light of the attack. Squinting, she noted that the figure now towered over her. It wasn't as bright as before; Usagi silently concluded that the powerful attack must have weakened it.

"So, this is the _princess_," the creature's cackling, masculine voice hissed.

A bright light flickered in the corner of Usagi's eye. She realized that another figure approached. Usagi attempted to get to her feet, but the new figure rushed toward her, kicking her hard in the side. The girl doubled over and groaned. The newcomer shoved her back down and pressed a heavy foot into her right shoulder.

The back of Usagi's head snapped back and again smacked into the brick pathway. Her temples throbbed. Her eyes were open, but she saw stars

"It's gonna be too easy to kill her!" the first figure squealed.

Usagi moaned and tried to struggle. The boot still pinning her shoulder dug deeper into her skin. She cried out as pain shot into her arm and chest. She needed to call the others, but she was too battered and disoriented to do so. With her arm pinned, her communicator was out of reach. Worse yet, she felt herself losing consciousness.

"Master does not want her killed," the second creature said in a feminine tone.

The young woman thought of Mamoru before closing her eyes and passing out.

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End of Chapter 3

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapters! Your encouragement must be working; I am usually very bad about regularly updating.

I love your feedback, so please review. I'm off to work on my other fic!

Hollie


	5. Sailor Mars to the Rescue!

This chapter took me SO LONG to revise. Anyhoo, author's notes are at the end.

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The Missing Prince

Chapter 4: Sailor Mars to the Rescue

_Damn these stupid heels! _Sailor Mars fumed, stumbling ungracefully down the steps of Hikawa Jinja. Thankfully, the sweltering heat meant that no one was around to see her fumble her way to battle. The hot-tempered girl still chastised her own slow progress. She never remembered her red pumps feeling so blasted uncomfortable.

_I would have been there by now if it weren't for these confounded things!_

Halfway down the large staircase, her left heel caught in the crack of a stone step. Cursing under her breath, Sailor Mars removed her foot from the impractical footwear and wrested the shoe from the rock. She decidedly removed the other pump from her right foot and put both shoes in her left hand. Silently praying that Yuichiro recently swept the steps of stray pebbles, the girl, liberated of her heels, leapt with impressive bravado down the latter half of the shrine's staircase.

Hino Rei couldn't remember the last time she donned her Sailor Mars uniform. Her life as a miko at Hikawa Jinja, her home, didn't require her to wear revealing fukus or uncomfortable high-heeled shoes. Her uniform now consisted of dark red hakama-style pants and kimono shirts with wide sleeves. No more tight body suits or mini skirts for her!

Once at the bottom of the impressively long staircase leading to Hikawa Jinja, Rei paused to again don the red heels that had so quickly become the source of her wrath. She resumed her quick pace—less graceful than she preferred—toward Central Park.

Ten minutes prior to her clumsy jaunt down the hill, a meditating Rei had a premonition about a new adversary and the park. The vision, though vague, caused her to shudder, sending an icy chill of trepidation skirting up her spinal cord. The Senshi of Mars, Rei was gifted with psychic powers; however, even after years of experience and practice, the young woman still had difficulty distinguishing perilous premonitions from her normal, everyday visions. This doubt made Rei question her own instincts.

Before she donned her senshi uniform and bounded into potential battle, Rei quietly snuck back to her bedroom. She slid her door shut and opened the top right drawer in her dresser. Buried beneath a pile of mismatched socks was her old communicator, which resembled a wristwatch. Although Rei still had her henshin stick within easy reach at all times, the watch had lost its usefulness. It served no practical use, not even as a simple timepiece.

Rei squeezed it tightly in her right hand. Excitement suddenly welled inside of her. She couldn't remember the last time she used the communicator. Opening her palm, Rei stared thoughtfully at the watch. She ran her thumb over the golden star inlaid in its surface before tracing the red circle and arrow shapes with her thumb. With a look of determination creasing her brow, Rei pressed the button and spoke into the watch.

"Hello? Is there anyone there?"

She wasn't surprised when a voice answered immediately.

"Is that you Rei?"

Rei, recognizing Luna's voice, frowned. She'd expected Usagi.

"Yeah, it's me," she finally responded. "I was hoping to reach Usagi. Have you seen her?"

"She just visited the arcade," stated Luna.

Artemis added, "She left a few minutes ago."

Rei's spine tingled. She thought of her vision. Central Park wasn't far from Juuban Arcade, and Usagi might have cut through the park if she was on her way to Mamoru's apartment.

"Is everything all right?" Luna asked after a long silence.

Rei considered her premonition. "I don't think so. Usagi may be in danger."

"Hold on, I'll try to reach her," Artemis said. After a few moments, the feline's voice returned, "She's not responding on her communicator."

Rei cursed under her breath.

"I'll try to reach Mamoru," offered Luna.

Rei bit her lower lip and stared at the floor. "There isn't enough time."

"But if Usagi's in danger…"

"He'll sense it," Rei interrupted, knowing full well that, if any danger befell Usagi, Mamoru would know and arrive on his own accord, as usual. The young woman doubted that he was close, though. This new enemy, Rei realized, had only materialized because Usagi was alone.

"I can get there before Mamoru," She sharply explained. Her violet eyes rested on the red henshin stick on the top of the dresser, positioned next to a photograph of her with Usagi, Ami, Makoto, and Minako. "But you should still keep trying to contact him. If my vision's correct, this is no normal enemy."

She touched the button on her watch again which ended the communication. Rei affixed it to her right wrist before she grasped the henshin stick. Pressed into its top was the sign for Mars. Without another hesitation, Rei tossed the stick above her head while she shouted, "Mars Crystal power...Make up!"

Her temple clothes dissolved in a flash of light. When the transformation completed, she wore a short red sailor fuku. She paused briefly while she glanced at herself in the mirror. She hardly recognized herself. Rei smiled and winked at her reflection.

"Welcome back, Sailor Mars!"

She slid her door open and headed toward the general direction of Central Park.

Meanwhile, a further distance away, Mamoru suddenly sat up in his bed, clutching his head with his right hand and gripping his chest with his left. Horrible, strong waves of panic passed into his skin and quaked through his entire body. The feeling was eerily familiar to Mamoru, but many years had passed since he last recalled experiencing this particular sensation. The ache in his head dissipated as quickly as it appeared, leaving the young man disoriented and confused. The pain enshrouding his chest lingered, which made it difficult for Mamoru to breathe. His face contorted as he attempted to take a breath.

Still in his bed, Mamoru clutched at the nearby windowsill and upset the mini blinds in the process. The thin metal slats fell on him with a loud clatter. The afternoon sun washed the dark room with blinding light. The already-confused Mamoru clamped his eyes shut while he floundered with the pile of strings and blinds now on top of him, all while gasping for air. A growl of frustration erupted from his throat as he finally tossed the mini-blinds across the room. His eyes now more accustomed to the light, Mamoru opened his lids and reached again for the sill. His fingers fumbled clumsily with the latch; he was more adept at pulling the window wide open.

Hot summer air blasted against his clammy skin. Mamoru leaned his head out the window and gulped deeply. The warm air found its way to his constricted lungs; after a few deep intakes, the young man again breathed easily. The chest pain, like the hammering headache, was suddenly gone. Relieved, Mamoru relaxed and fell back into his bed. Aside from street noise outside, his world was calm. He silently wondered what triggered his panic attack. Mamoru stretched and yawned.

Thanks to the fallen mini-blinds, his room was bright with light. Mamoru considered re-hanging the discarded blinds but quickly decided against it. He was too tired to bother. Again closing his eyes, he attempted to fall back asleep. The intrusive sunlight made it impossible anyway. He sighed. He shielded his eyes with his right hand and glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand.

It was only four-thirty.

He usually woke around five o'clock. Each evening, Usagi came over so they could have dinner and spend a few hours together before his shift at the hospital. Thinking of his fiancé, Mamoru decided that his unease was residual, caused by the negative feelings he'd experienced earlier that morning. He rolled to his side so his back faced the window. He would discuss the importance of locking the door with Usagi tonight.

Another surge of emotion and pain pulsed through his body. His skin bristled and his heart thumped hard, pounding in his eardrums. Usagi's echoing voice cried out his name. Mamoru sat up. She sounded so far away. He stared out of his window. She called to him, but he didn't know where she was.

Closing his eyes, he reached into his heart and attempted to find her. Long ago, Sailor Pluto once commented on the unbreakable bond between the future Queen Serenity and King Endymion; she remarked to Mamoru that his bond with Usagi was like no other in the galaxy.

"Your love ties you together so you are never really apart," she explained to him. Her dark, emerald green eyes sparkled with wisdom. "Use it to your advantage."

A long time had passed since Mamoru last used their bonded souls to find Usagi. He'd used frequently during their stints as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. The ability was still there, but he was out of practice.

_Usako._ He whispered to her in his mind. He wasn't too discouraged when she didn't immediately answer—she never did when she was Sailor Moon—but his powers were such that he normally uncovered her location on his own. After several unsuccessful moments, he growled his frustration. He opened his eyes and scanned the skyline. He had to find her. Not one to be easily discouraged, Mamoru sucked in another deep breath. He let out an exasperated sigh, closed his eyes, and tried again.

This time, he located Usagi right away. Her overwhelming fear encompassed Mamoru, again squeezing the air out of his chest. He grasped the windowsill with his right hand and attempted to even out his breaths.

Usagi was in serious danger. She couldn't transform into Eternal Sailor Moon. Through their bond, she urged him to hurry, that they wanted to kill her.

Tingles snaked up Mamoru's back. His eyelids flew open and he again stared out of his bedroom window. His midnight gaze scanned the buildings and streets that were visible from his vantage point. He couldn't see Central Park, but he realized she was there.

Jumping out of a tangle of blankets and pillows, Mamoru rose from his bed and pulled on a rumpled pair of blue jeans. He didn't bother to change out of his t-shirt before emerging from his room and exiting his apartment. He barely remembered to slip on a pair of shoes. He hastily locked his door before dashing down the hall. Once in the stairwell, he skipped steps and leapt over the railings to reach the next flight until he was on the ground floor. Mamoru muttered something unintelligible at Mrs. Tanaka as he passed the front desk on his way out of the building

He was focused. He must reach Usagi before she was harmed. Realizing that he was short on time, Mamoru paused only briefly on his way to the park to transform into Tuxedo Mask.

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Just as she predicted, Sailor Mars was the first to arrive at Central Park. She panted and tripped over her own feet to get there, but she finally made it. Her loose, raven black hair wildly danced behind her. While she crossed the street and entered the park, she saw a huge flash of light. Years of battle experience warned Sailor Mars that it was an enemy attack. Worry creased her brow. She cut directly through the park, in the direction of the assault. Concealed by tree cover, she continued at her harrowing pace. She hoped her agility wouldn't fail her, despite her poor footwear.

When she neared a clearing, Rei slowed and crept more carefully along the tree line. Spotting two bright, glowing figures, she halted. She concealed herself behind a narrow trunk. The pairs' silhouettes looked human, but the two bodies were surrounded by fire. Just looking at the two made Sailor Mars' eyes water. Using her psychic ability, she sensed that they had once been good but were now intensely evil.

Both humanoids stooped over a figure on the ground. Sailor Mars squinted to see what held their attention. Her heart sank. It was Usagi.

Sailor Mars observed that the pair appeared engrossed in a deep discussion, but she was too far away to hear their conversation. She considered inching closer while her adversaries remained distracted. Such a move placed her in the open, away from immediate cover. Noting the danger of Usagi's situation, Sailor decided to risk it. She took two careful steps, mindful not to allow the heels of her pumps clatter against the red brick path she now stood on.

Her violet eyes widened when she neared the pair. A flame-licked dagger had materialized into the hand of the humanoid on the left. The figure held its arm up high, ready to stab Usagi with the object.

Sailor Mars sprang into action. She held her palms together and willed her energy into her hands. A small ball of fire began to emerge from her palms. She expertly grabbed the flame with left hand, and pulled a portion of it back with her right hand. She aimed her fire bow at the armed attacker.

"Mars flame..."

With her words, an arrow of fire appeared on her bow.

"Sniper!"

She released her right hand. The arrow ripped through the air.

"Argh!" shouted Nova.

His arm fell to his side, while the weapon he'd held clattered on the brick path before disappearing. He grabbed his right shoulder with his right hand and craned his neck to look at his back.

"Something hit me!" he squealed, his distorted voice screeching.

His companion, Calypso, turned her attention away from the girl on the ground and stared at him. "What? Where?" She glanced at his back and noted that his red uniform was burned through. The melted fabric and flesh left a singed stink in the air. Calypso wrinkled her nose. She twisted around. A woman in a red and white getup stood approximately ten yards away from them. Calypso's golden eyes narrowed. She observed the woman's black hair blow in the wind, although Calypso knew that was physically impossible. She and Nova had purposely sucked all wind and sound from the immediate area prior to attacking the Moon Princess.

The woman in red heels shouted something. A ball of flame spiraled toward Calypso and Nova.

"Get out of the way!" Calypso screamed, pushing her partner to her right while dodging to the left. The attack dissipated above the still-unconscious Moon Princess.

Nova howled in pain as he landed on his already injured shoulder. Calypso deftly rolled over and jumped back to her feet. She extended her arms in front of her. A tiny prick of light grew larger between her hands.

"Rolling Vaporization!" she yelled when the power was the size of a beach ball. She wound her right arm back and heaved a wide wave of light at her adversary. The other woman stood her ground. Her figure faded from Calypso and Nova's view as the attack neared her place. When the brightness faded, the woman longer stood before them. The only hint that she even existed was a small puff of smoke.

Calypso smugly smiled. She'd only had her powers for a few weeks and already she'd mastered her _Rolling Vaporization_ attack. None of the others had yet perfected it. She flicked her bright red hair over her shoulder.

"Vaporized!" she hissed confidently. She turned to her partner, who still floundered on the ground nearby. Watching him, Calypso rolled her golden eyes. Why was she assigned to work with such an incompetent? Surely, The Master noticed how skilled she was. Regarding Nova, Calypso thought that she was probably given such a substandard partner because no one was as accomplished as her. This cheered her mood considerably.

She walked over and offered her hand to Nova, who grudgingly accepted the help up. He awkwardly stood. Dusting himself off—God, he was still such a _human_, Calypso silently observed—he directed his attention to where the woman previously stood.

"Where is she?" he asked dubiously, rubbing his injured shoulder.

Calypso confidently declared, "I got rid of her."

"Good! She did a number on my leg."

"That's your shoulder, you halfwit," Calypso hissed.

The duo turned their attention to the blonde girl sprawled across the brick pathway. Calypso gazed down. "Back to business," she said, a devious grin parting her lips.

Mars stood behind the same tree trunk as before, catching her breath. That was way too close, she realized. She'd intended to hold her ground, but when the searing, white hot light neared her, she felt the intensity of the attack and panicked. The unbearable heat and quickness of the assault startled Sailor Mars. Unlike her normal fire attacks, the attack was far more powerful. No doubt those glowing humanoids were strong. While the attack cut a quick path toward her, Sailor Mars realized she couldn't move out of the way in time.

She'd been scooped up by the waist and deposited behind the tree. The motion was so deliberate and fluid that Mars didn't even realize what was happening. In one moment, she stared down an enemy attack, and in the next, she stood on shaky legs behind the shelter of a tree trunk. She turned just in time to see the place she once stood completely immersed in white light. Even sheltered behind the tree, which was a decent distance from that spot, she felt the warmth of the attack warm her exposed limbs and face. Mars gasped. She was nearly obliterated by just one attack.

"Get ready!" A man whispered from nearby, shaking Sailor Mars from her stunned reverie. She recognized Tuxedo Mask's voice. Thankfully, her earlier assumption was right; he'd come running because Usagi was in danger.

"They're strong, Tuxedo Mask!" Mars said breathlessly.

"I have to get Usagi," Tuxedo Mask stubbornly answered. "So get ready."

Even though she could not see him, Sailor Mars nodded in compliance. He would lead the attack; her job was to distract the pair of enemies with more of her own attacks. Mars swallowed hard and wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Tuxedo la Smoking Bomber!" shouted Tuxedo Mask.

He emerged from between two trees and bombarded the humanoids with his energy. He purposely kept the attack high so he didn't accidentally hit Usagi. The two enemies stood close to each other and were pelted in the attack. The male figure wailed in pain. Finished with his assault, Tuxedo Mask retreated behind another trunk before his victims spotted him.

"Now!" he ordered.

Sailor Mars sucked in a deep breath. It was her turn. Leaping from the shelter of the trees, she aimed her hands.

"Burning Mandala!" She screamed. Circles of flame rotated around her as golden rings of fire shot toward the two humanoids. Mars focused most of the assault at the female figure. The woman had strong attacks, which made her Tuxedo Mask's greatest threat.

Sailor Mars' attack felled both adversaries, who were too distracted from Tuxedo Mask's incursion to anticipate another onslaught. Not missing a beat, Mars ran to her right, away from Tuxedo Mask's hidden location. Before the humanoids reacted, she already pulled back another fire bow.

"Mars Flame Sniper!" she shouted as she released a fire-tipped arrow. She ducked behind a tree on the opposite side of the pathway, anticipating retaliation. She hoped Tuxedo Mask would hurry. She was getting tired.

"Great job, Sailor Mars!" Tuxedo Mask quietly muttered, even though the senshi was too far away to hear him. Both enemies were completely taken off of guard and now scrambled locate and attack Sailor Mars. Usagi, forgotten by her attackers, still remained unconscious in the center of the path. Now was the time to rescue her.

Prior to venturing into the clearing, Tuxedo Mask closed his eyes and concentrated his energy. A scepter materialized in his right hand. Affixed to the top of the cane was the Golden Crystal. The mystical stone glittered tempestuously.

Tuxedo Mask ran from the safety of the tree line and into the open. His black, red lined cape flapped in the air. The humanoids, now standing several yards away from Usagi, attempted to flush Sailor Mars from her protective spot. Tuxedo Mask quickly approached Usagi. Observing her swollen and bruised right cheek, Mamoru's chest tightened. She looked so helpless. He scooped her limp body into his arms and threw her over his left shoulder. Usagi groaned as she was moved.

The noise gained the attention of the two glowing figures.

"He's taking the Moon Princess!" the masculine one humanoid shouted.

Tuxedo Mask heard the distinctive sound of an attack called out. He wanted to run for cover but realized, even with his quick reflexes, that he couldn't outrun the energy from an assault. Gritting his teeth, Tuxedo Mask pivoted to face his adversaries. Sure enough, an attack of white hot light bore down on him and Usagi.

Tuxedo Mask held up his staff and shouted, "Elysion Golden Protection!"

A shield surrounded him and Usagi, blocking the assault at just the last moment. Taking precaution in case his shield didn't hold up, Tuxedo Mask kneeled, lowered Usagi from his shoulder, and covered her body with his. The power of the attack dissipated along with Tuxedo Mask's shield.

"Mars Snake Fire!" shouted Sailor Mars from the opposite end of the clearing.

Fire snaked around the senshi before striking the two humanoids. Once again, the attack slammed the pair of glowing figures into the ground. Noting the enemy was again engaged by Sailor Mars, Tuxedo Mask gently shifted Usagi into a fireman's carry and ran toward the cluster of trees he'd previously emerged from. Sounds of battle indicated that Sailor Mars still kept the pair of opponents at bay.

Tuxedo Mask leaned Usagi against the trunk of a tree and attempted to revive her. Although Mars was strong, she was growing tired. He had to admit that he, too, was exhausted. Tuxedo Mask, silently assessing Usagi's injuries, acknowledged that he and Sailor Mars required the assistance of Eternal Sailor Moon.

"Please wake up, Usako," he gently, urgently pleaded to her. He wiped a few stray strands of her gold hair from her face. He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. He felt her lashes flutter against his cheek as her blue eyes opened.

"Tuxedo Mask?" she whispered, dazed. She had not seen Mamoru's twilight eyes looking at her from the domino mask of his alter-ego in a long time. Usagi attempted to smile, but one side of her face throbbed. She winced. The back of her head ached. She felt like she'd been struck with a bat. She recalled the flash of light and being kicked. Her face shifted from confusion to concern. Glancing around, Usagi realized they were still in the park. She heard Rei shout an attack somewhere nearby. Her mouth fell open.

"Is that…Sailor Mars?" she asked.

Tuxedo Mask silently nodded.

Usagi frowned. "The enemy?"

"They're still here," Tuxedo Mask explained. He held her hands in his. "Sailor Mars is distracting them, but I think she could use Sailor Moon's help."

Usagi nodded, knowing what she must do. Tuxedo Mask bent down to kiss her again. Their shared energy created a surge of power, revitalizing both of them. Usagi gazed up at him, her thoughts drowning in the dark blue pools of his eyes. His gaze shifted from her face to the clearing, where the sounds of battle originated. Without further hesitation, Tuxedo Mask stood and bounded from the tree line to assist Sailor Mars.

Usagi pushed herself into a standing position and clutched the Ginzuishou pendant around her neck. A transformation brooch once housed the powerful crystal, but Usagi, following her final battle with Galaxia, had literally outgrown the need for the pin.

Her touch made the crystal glow. Already, the Ginzuishou anticipated what she needed it to do. Throwing her left arm in the air, Usagi shouted.

"Silver Moon Crystal Power, Make-up!"

The upturned crescent symbol glowed in the center of her forehead. A flash of energy showered down; white angel wings engulfed her. When the feathers parted, Usagi's street clothes were gone, replaced by a white bodysuit with pink rounded sleeves and a triple-layered skirt of navy, pink, and gold. Her crystal, no longer on its chain around her neck, blossomed into a heart flanked by wings that rested in the center of her chest. Elbow-length gloves of white and lavender were on her arms and knee-high boots hugged her calves.

She sucked in a deep breath. Incredible power, willed by the Ginzuishou and her own conviction, pumped through her veins. In this form, Usagi was confident. The anticipation of battle bubbled inside of her, commingling with a streak of regret. Usagi realized that when she was Sailor Moon she protected the planet. She couldn't help feeling a little sad that battle was ever required to resolve conflict. Why must she and her friends always fight?

She sucked in another deep breath and blocked those thoughts from her mind. If she had learned one thing about fighting, it was that she was far better off moving forward with a clear objective and a determined heart than doubting her own abilities.

"Here goes nothing," she said to herself.

Eternal Sailor Moon emerged from behind the tree. She spotted where Tuxedo Mask stood on the pathway and ran forward. He smiled wearily at her when she stood beside him. His tuxedo had seen better days. He was badly injured. She would have preferred to attend to his wounds, but she instead glared at the pair of glowing figures in front of her. She stepped forward, placing herself between the enemy and Tuxedo Mask. She knew Sailor Mars was nearby. She didn't dare look away from the humanoids to seek out her friend. Her bright blue eyes stared down her two foes.

"How dare you disrupt our peace!" Eternal Sailor Moon shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the pair. The enemies gawked at the new girl with wings. "I will not allow you to harm this planet or its people. On behalf of the Moon, you're punished!"

The pair of humanoids paused and looked at each other. The female figure threw an object on the ground at her feet. In a flash of light and smoke, she disappeared. The remaining humanoid followed his companion's lead and tossed an object to the ground. A flash and some smoke, and he was gone.

"They just left?" Sailor Moon gasped. She turned back to glance at Tuxedo Mask. He shrugged. "Well, that was easy!" she laughed. A green flicker caught the corner of her eye as something the size of a marble fell on the red bricks between them. Surprised, Eternal Sailor Moon flinched.

The green marble rolled in a perfect circle between her and Tuxedo Mask before it stopped completely. Eternal Sailor Moon frowned and approached the stilled object. She reached out her hand to pick it up.

"No Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars shouted from across the clearing. Her warning came too late. The blonde had already touched the mysterious bauble. The simple gesture caused the marble to pulsate. Eternal Sailor Moon squealed with surprise lunged back just as the bauble began to grow. When it was twice the size of Tuxedo Mask and Eternal Sailor Moon combined, the round green form sprouted a massive, deformed faceless head, two lanky arms and a pair of knobby-kneed legs.

"Youma!" Eternal Sailor Moon gasped. The green, slimy monster lunged at her. She fell to the ground, skinning her knees in the process.

"Tuxedo la Smoking Bomber!" Tuxedo Mask cried, flinging the attack at the creature. The youma wailed in pain, turning his attention to the dashing, cape-clad hero.

Eternal Sailor Moon lifted herself from the bricks and dashed around so, like Tuxedo Mask, she faced the monster. She willed her scepter into her hands. A glow surrounded her as the staff settled into her palm.

"Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!" she shouted, aiming her scepter at the heart of the green beast. A bright, silver light encompassed the creature. The monster dissolved into the atmosphere.

A warm wind rustled through the park and the splashing of the nearby fountain was again heard. The stagnant air felt fresher with the breeze, despite the persistent heat. Eternal Sailor Moon's feathered wings and pony tails wavered in the fresh zephyr.

"Are you okay Mars?" Sailor Moon shouted at the disheveled figure near the far cluster of trees. Widening her wings, she soared across the clearing and landed beside her friend.

Sailor Mars, tired from the battle, nodded wearily. Aside from a few scratches, which resulted from dodging—literally—the enemies' white hot attacks, she was fine. Sailor Mars frowned at Sailor Moon, noting the girl's swollen cheek. Recalling the youma, she said, "Baka! You aught know better than to touch stuff left behind by an enemy."

Eternal Sailor Moon's expression of concern transformed to surprise. "What! I just saved your butt out there!"

Sailor Mars crossed her arms over her chest. "I saved your butt first."

Tuxedo Mask limped over. The right leg of his trouser pants was torn. Sailor Moon's attention shifted from arguing with Mars to Tuxedo Mask's injuries.

"I'm okay," he said through clenched teeth. "We should get out of here."

He pointed at a small crowd forming around the edges of the park. The commotion of battle was disruptive enough to coerce people from their air-conditioned houses and businesses and into the baking late afternoon sun.

Sailor Moon nodded. She noticed singed notebook pages drift over the brick path. Her blue eyes grew wide.

"Oh no! My mythology notes!" she wailed, running over to her broken book bag. She reached for the stray pages she passed, chasing a couple of them down.

"You won't need them, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Mask said, an amused smile on his face. "I'm writing you a doctor's note. You aren't going to class tomorrow."

Sailor Mars was impressed. "You can do that?"

"I have to go!" Sailor Moon insisted. "I have a test…"

Tuxedo Mask's right eyebrow arched. Usagi had certainly changed over the past few years.

Noting the large group approaching the park, Eternal Sailor Moon relented. She bit her lower lip and sighed. "We'll talk about this later."

The trio began limping in the general direction of Hikawa Jinja. Once they were away from onlookers' prodding eyes, they transformed back into Hino Rei, Chiba Mamoru, and Tsukino Usagi. They remained silent. After nearly five years, the Sailor Senshi were back in business.

Usagi frowned. She had a feeling that their lives were about to dramatically change.

Once the three superheroes exited the park, the crowd, unable to bear the heat, also dispersed. Three onlookers remained behind. Two of them, a man and a woman, bore a striking resemblance to the two glowing figures from the park. They were dressed in normal street clothes and blended in perfectly with the crowd. In addition, a woman with dark brown hair and radiant ebony skin stood beside them. From a distance, she'd watched the battle between Nova, Calypso, and the others unfold. She was visibly angry by the outcome.

"We nearly had her," Nova grumbled, clenching his fists at his sides. "If it hadn't been for those two intruders…"

"I know, Nova," the woman stated calmly, her hazel eyes slightly glowing with rage. "You did well for your first endeavor."

After a pause, Calypso growled. "Damn Sailor Moon!"

When given their assignment, she and Nova were instructed to retreat if Sailor Moon showed up. Calypso didn't understand why; the girl looked feeble enough to defeat. If only she'd struck once before retreating...

"You did well Calypso," the woman stated, reading the other's thoughts, "You did not allow your emotion to get in the way of your orders. The Master will be pleased."

"What now?" Nova questioned.

"Now," the woman stated, sighing, "we wait for another opportunity. The rabbit will be within our grasp again. Next time, she won't escape from our trap."

Calypso, in a defeated tone, muttered, "But if Sailor Moon returns…"

"We will become stronger and defeat her." the woman replied. Her hazel eyes wandered to the spot where the Moon Princess had fallen. The Master would not be pleased when he learned they failed, especially when they were so close to capturing her...

Damn those others, she thought to herself. And damn that Sailor Moon!

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End of Chapter 4

Battle scenes are always interesting—and challenging—to write out. Hopefully, it wasn't too confusing to follow the action. I tried to follow the manga primarily (thus Tux's attack was the smoking bomber and not a rose); his defense maneuver with his staff I made up.

I don't like always referring to Eternal Sailor Moon as such; I hope you didn't mind me abridging her title to just "Sailor Moon." Sounds so much better. Rolls off the tongue, I think. .

Thank you so, so much to those of you who reviewed the previous chapters! The feedback is MUCH appreciated and has encouraged me to press on with this story. For those of you who read my other fic, Light of Love, I'm still working diligently on that story as well. It's a bit more temperamental at the moment. I'll wrestle with it more this week and hopefully will have a chapter posted soon. _Crosses fingers…_

Please review. I love e'm!

Hollie


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